Weighsng-machine



4 Sheets-Sh'eet 1.

(No Model.)

' P. H. RICHARDS.

WBIGHING MACHINE.

No: 578,165. Patented Mar. 2.1897,

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(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 2 F. H. RICHARDS. WEIGHING MAOEINB.

No. 578,165. I Patented Mar. 2, 1897.

Witnesses: I [raven tor:

My M

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

P. H. RICHARDS.

WBIGHING MACHINE. Nu 578,165. Patented Mar. 2,1897.

(No Model!) 4 SheetsSheet 4.

, F. H. RICHARDS- WEIGHING MAOHINE.

No! 578,166. Patented Mari 2,1897.

Mznesses: lyzvenzoi UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS ll. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

WElGHlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 578,165, dated March2, 1897.

Application filed November 3, 1896. fierial No. 610,951. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in\Veighing-illachines,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to weighingmachines, the object being to providean improved machine or apparatus of this character for automaticallyweighing and delivering various classes of granular substances, but moreespecially those of a comparatively sluggish or slow-running nature.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification,Figure l is a front elevation of a weighing-machine comprehending mypresent improvements, and it represents the positions occupied by thevarious parts at the commencement of operation. Fig. 2 is a sectionalend elevation as seen from the right in Fig. 1, the chute and a portionof the framing being in longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 3 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 2, the supply to the bucket having been stopped and thebucket being shown in the act of discharging a load. Fig. 4. is asectional plan View, the section being taken in a line slightly abovethe upper edge of the bucket. Fig. 5 is a detail view, in end elevation,of a part of the supply-controlling mechanism; and Fig. 6 is a rear viewof the same.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

The framework for supporting the various parts of the machine may be ofany suitable character, and in the form shown it consists of thechambered supporting-base 2 and the end frames or standards 3 and 4,which rise therefrom, said end frames having connected thereto at thetop the arms or brackets 5 and U, which oppositely extend from the feedhopper or chute II.

The weighing mechanism is similar in operation to that disclosedbyLetters PatentNo. 8,840, granted to me October 29, 1895, to whichreference may be had, and it includes the bucket G and the supportingcounterweighted scale-beams B and B, respectively.

The scale-beams B and B are fulcrumed 011 the base 2, and the respectivearms thereof will be furnished at the inner ends thereof with suitablesupports for the bucket.

The bucket G will have the usual dischargeoutlet in its bottom, and forcontrolling said outlet I employ the load-discharge member or closer L.The closer L consists of two leaves or sections 7 and 7', hinged orjointed at the middle, said closer-leaves being loosely connected to theshaft 7", which is located at the merging point of the twooppositely-inclined portions of the lower edge of the bucket, one of thecloser-leaves, as the part 7, having the counterweights 8 and 8 attachedthereto at its opposite ends, the purpose of said counterweights beingto return the closerleaf 7 and its companion 7 to the normal or shutposition thereof on the discharge of a bucket-load, as indicated in Fig.2.

The closer-leaves 7 and 7 are furnished with the stops or bosses 9 and9, respectively, the meeting faces of which are plain, said faces beingadapted to come into contact when the two sections have reached theirwide-open position, so that the too-great movement of said sections willbe properly limited or regulated.

By reason of the construction of the closer in the manner set forth thepower necessary to maintain the same in its shut position is materiallyreduced, and it will be evident also that when the two sections are intheir wide-open positions they uncover a relatively large outlet, sothat the contents of the bucket may be discharged with great rapidity.

The closer-holding means includes a compound toggle and a latch, saidlatch being adapted to engage one of the members of the toggle, as willnow appear.

A rocker is illustrated at 10, atlixed to the shaft 12, which passesentirely through the bucket, said rocker having pivoted thereto the rods13 and 14, which, with said rocker, compose the compound toggle, thefirst-mentioned rod being pivoted to the closer-leaf 7, while the otherrod is pivoted to the counterweight S, the several pivots or centers ofthe toggle members being substantiallyin alinement when the closer isshut, so that the rocker 10, and consequently the closer L, may be heldagainst movement by a comparatively small amount of power applied to therocker,

a suitable detent, as the latch 15, being employed for this purpose. Theshaft 12, at the end thereof opposite to that which carries the rocker10, will be preferably furnished with crank-arms operatively connectedby rods to the two closer-sections 7 and 7.

The latch 15, which is counterweighted, is pivotally connected to thebucket and swin upward to engage the arm 16 of the rocker 10 on theshutting of the closer.

I dispose within the bucket G two guards 17 and 18, which are angular incross-section and which extend from end wall to end wall of the bucket,such guards being located, re spectively, over the two shafts 7 and 12to prevent particles of material from working into the joint between thetwo closer-sections and the bearings of the shaft 12.

The supply apparatus for furnishing the bucket with material to build upthe load therein includes a feed hopper or chutesuch as that illustratedat I I--and a cooperative feed-conveyer F, having a stream-reducer orvalve-blade thereon operable for diminishing or reducing the volume of astream of material emerging from said hopper at a predetermined point inthe travel of said feed-conveyer, and at this stage in its operation Iprefer to arrest or stop said feed-conveyer, whereby an attenuated orreduced stream may pass into the bucket from the feed-hopper to completethe partial load delivered thereto by the conveyer when it is in motion.

The feed-conveyor in the present instance is driven or operated by thepower of the descending mass or column of material which passes throughthe feed-hopper, and it is slightly inclined and provided with a seriesof blades or vanes to facilitate its effective action. The feed-conveyerin the form shown consists of an endless belt or apron 20, the blades orvanes thereof being designated by 21, said belt being passed around thecarrying rolls or drums 22 and The shaft for the roll 2 is designated by24, and it is supported by the hangers 2i and 2%", depending from thebrackets 5 and (3, respectively, while the shaft 25 of the roll 23 issustained by the standards 23 and 23", which rise from the base 2.

I locate at regular intervals along the belt 20 one or more bladessuchas (1,1), 0, and (l which extend outward beyond the remainder of theseries, three of such sets of wide blades being employed, the firstblade a of each set constituting a valve or stream-reducer fordiminishing the volume of the supply-stream at predetermined points inthe travel of said belt. The first two blades (4 and b of each of saidsets are of substantially the same width, while the two succeedingblades are somewhat narrower, though much wider than the remainder ofthe series.

At regular stages in the operation of the machine the effective movementof the feedconveyer 20 will be temporarily arrested or stopped, at whichtime the first blade at of one of the wide sets will be adjacent to theinclined portion 20 of the feed-hopper II, as indicated in Fig. 3, sothat a relatively small stream of material may pass through the spacewhich exists between the discharge edge of inclined portion 20 of thefeed-hopper and the valve-blade a, from whence it passes into thebucket.

hen the feed-eonveyer is released, the material from the hopper II, byacting on the wide blades a, b, c, and d, can apply a relatively greatamount of force to the conveyer to immediately start the same, thefeedconveyer 011 each of its intermittent movements being of suchcapacity as to nearly supply the complete bucket-load, the remain derbeing furnished by the reduced stream, to which I have previouslyreferred. In connection with the fecd-conveyer I employ a brake, whichis actuated by means controlled by said conveyer.

The shaft 2% carries two sprocket-wheels, one of which is shown at 26,(see Figs. 2 and 3,) while the companion shaft 25 carries a pair ofcooperating sprocket-wheels, one of which is illustrated in saidfigures, it being designated by 27, while the connecting-chains for saidsprocket-wheels are denoted by 28 and 29, respectively. (See Fig. l.)

The feed-conveyor brake consists of an es- CtlQGDlGHb-IGVGI' supportedindependently of the conveyer-bclt and adapted to intermittently engageescapements or escapementwheels carried by the conveyor-shaft 21-, tothereby stop the effective movement of the feed-conveyer F.

The feed-eonveyer brake or escapement-lever is designated by 00, itbeing fixed to the rock-shaft 31, which is supported by the framing ofthe machine, said escapement-lever having a series of threeforwardly-extending arms 32, 325, and 34-, which are adapted tosuccessively engage the escapement-wheeis 35, 80, and 37 on thefeed-conveyer shaft 21, so that when any one of the arms of said leverengages the cooperating escapcmentwheel the movement of the feedconveycrF will be stopped.

For effecting the engagement of the leverarms with the respectiveescapement-whcels at proper stages in the operation of the machine Ilocate actuators on the sprocketehains, such actuators being designatedby 38, 3t), and a0 and consisting of counterweighted dogs pivotallycarried by the two chains 28 and 2.). The sprocket-chain 28 carries theactuator or dog 38, while the sprocket-- chain 29 carries the other two.

Attention is called to Figs. 5 and 6, which show, on an enlarged scale,the feed-conveyor controlling or brake mechanism and cooperatingdevices, the sprocket-chain 28, which travels with the conveyor-belt 20,having nearly carried the actuator or dog into contact with the arm ofthe esca 'iement-lever 80. \Vhcn the feedconveyer has advanced slightlybeyond this point, the toe 38 of the dog 38 will engage and ride alongthe upper face of the arm 34, forcing it downward, with the hook 34thereof across the plane of rotation of the teeth 37, so that when saidtooth abuts against the hook 34 the movement of the feed-conveyer F willbe instantly stopped. (See Fig. \Vhen the hook 234 is disengaged fromthe tooth 37, the feed-conveyer may resume its motion and will bestopped at a further point in the operation of the apparatus by theactuator 39, and subsequently by the actuator 40, these last twoactuators, however, cooperating with the escapementwheels 36 and 57. Forthus releasing or free ing the feed-conveyer, whereby it may be stopped,I prefer to employ means operative with or controlled by the weighingmechanism, as will hereinafter appear.

For stopping the flow or passage of the reduced or drip stream to thebucket G at the conclusion of the weighing operation I may employ acut-off or valve which is to be normally held in its wide-open positionto permit the unobstructed passage of the main supply into the bucket,said valve being freed at a point subsequent to the stoppage of thefeedconveyer, whereby it may readily close to cut off the drip orreduced stream. The cut-off or valve is designated by and is of the pantype, it being self-closing and rigidly joined to the two-part shaft 46,which is journaled in bearings formed in the end frames 3 and 4,respectively.

For holding the valve in its wide-open position to permit the mainsupply to enter the bucket I mount a stop on the weighing mechanism,which is adapted to engage a member or part cooperative with the valveand to release the same subsequent to the stoppage of the feed-conveyer.The stop for this purpose is designated by 47 and is of the well-knownby-pass type, it being counterweighted and pivotally connected to an armof the scalebeam B, the cooperating member, which is engaged by saidby-pass stop, being the rod 48, which depends from the two-part shaft46. WVhen the beam B with its mate B passes below the so-calledpoising-line, indicating the completion of a bucket-load, the by-pass4'7 will descend clear of the rod 48, thereby releasing the valve 45,whereby it will instantl y shut by its own weight, as illustrated inFig. 3, to cut off the drip-stream.

On the opening of the cut-off or valve 45, during which movement thefeedconveyer will be started, the depending rod 48, when the valve hasnearly reached its wide-open position, will strike the upper arm of thebypass stop 47 and swing the latter about its pivot, so that the valvewill be thereby permitted to resume its normal or wide-open position,following which the by-pass stop 47 will again engage the depending rod48 to hold the valve against closure.

For opening the cut-off or valve and for also releasing thefeed-conveyer I provide the counterweighted lever 50, which is shiftablyconnected to the scale-beam B, said lever forming a part of the beammechanism, and its weight being normally added to the beam B, but beingsubtracted therefrom at a predetermined point. On the return of saidlever it is operable through the intervention of properly-locatedinstrumentalities for forcing the valve open.

The two-part valveshaft 46 is furnished with the crank-arm 51, to whichis pivoted the reciprocatory rod 52, the free end of said rod beingadapted to bear against the inner end of the counterweighted lever 50.

It will be remembered that the valve is held in its wide-open positionduring the loading period and is released at the close of the weighingoperation, when it instantly shuts, and while the beam mechanism and thecounterweighted lever descend the latter will move away from the freeend of said rod, which is held with the valve. On the release of thevalve said rod will be thrust downward and into contact with the innerend of the counterweighted lever 50. The beam mechanism will return toits normal position as soon as a part of the bucket contents have beendischarged, the lever, however, being locked against return movementtherewith. When said lever is unlocked, it of course re turns to itsnormal position, and in so doing it will transmit an upward thrust tothe rod 52, which is communicated to the valve 45 to force the sameopen.

In connection with the feed-conveyer and its brake and with the closerL, I provided reciprocally-effective stops.

The rearwardly-extending arm 30 of the brake or escapement-lever 30 hasconnected thereto the rod or link which is attached to an ear or lug onthe stop or blade 54, said stop or blade being pivotally supported bythe bucket and having its working face concentric with its axis ofmovement. The coacting stop is the rocker 10, which is provided with arelatively long supplemental stop or segmental flange 55.

The office of the two interlocking stops 54 and 10 is to prevent theopening of the closer L while the feed-conveyor F is in motion shouldthe closer-holding latch 15 be tripped too quickly, and for also holdingthe feed-coir veyer out of action or at rest while the closer L is openand any part of the load is being discharged.

The operation of the two coacting steps is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3,the feed-conveyer F in the first-mentioned view being in motion, whilethe closer L is shut, and the flange 55 of the stop 10 being in contactwith the curved face of the stop 54, so that should the latch 15 beprematurely tripped the oscillation of the stop 10 will be positivelyarrested by its mate 54, and the latter will continue its effectiveaction until the motion of the feedconveyer F is arrested. \Vhen thebrake or escapement-lever 30 is actuated, as hereinbefore set forth, byhaving its arm 34 forced downward, the arm 30 thereof will be elevated,so that the rodorlink 53 will be raised to swing the stop 5-t bodilyacross the plane of oscillation of the stop men1ber.10,but the latter isprevented from movement by a second interlocking stop, which isconnected to the valve. lVhen, however, the stop does oscillate, due tothe opening of the closer L, the flange 55 thereof will ride in contactwith the point 54 of the stop 54, so that retractive movement of thelatter will be checked and the brake will be thereby maintained in itseffective position.

On the shutting of the closer L the stop or rocker 10 will be caused toresume its normal position, and when it has nearly reached the end ofits return stroke it will release the stop 5%.

The stop which cooperates with the stop 10 and which is directlyconnected to the valve is designated by 56, it being mounted on thebucket and carried by the pivot which supports the stop 5-1. The stop 56has an angular arm or extension 57, which is connected by the rod 58 tothe crank-arm 59 on the twopart valve-shaft 46. The stop 56 issubstantially similar in construction and mode of operation to the stop54, except that its working face is much longer. As the bucket descendsduring the course of the weighing operation the flange 55 will remain incontact with the stop 56, so that the rocker 10, and necessarily thecloser L, can have no movement at all if the latch 15 should have beentripped prematurely.

On the completion of the bucket-load and the rapid closure of the valve-15 the rod 58 and angular arm 57 will be thrust downward from theposition shown in Fig. 2, thereby swinging the stop member 56 bodily tothe right, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and across the plane of the curvedface of the flange 55, so that the latch being tripped the stop 10 willbe free to swing about its pivot as the closer L opens, and in doing sothe relatively wide flange 55 will be contiguous to the point 56 of thestop 56 to thereby lock the return movement thereof, whereby the valvewill be held in its closed position during the discharge of thebucket-load.

The stop 56 is furnished with a laterallyprojecting stud or he. s whichabuts against the stop or blade 5%, as indicated in Fig. 3, to therebylimit the too great closing movement of the valve 45. s

For tripping the latch 15 I prefer to employ a tripper operative withthe cut-off valve +15, such a tripper being shown at 60 as a fixedprojection on the reciprocatory rod 52,\vhich, on the closure of thevalve 45 in the manner hereinbefore set forth, is caused to impingeagainst thelaterally-extending pin 01 on the latch 15, therebydepressing said latch and disengaging it from the rocker or stop 10,whereby the closer L is released. \Vhen so released, the twocloser-leaves 7 and 7 will be simultaneously forced open by the weightof the contents within the bucket G, such contents being discharged intothe chamber of the supporting-base 2.

The stop 5-1: is provided with an. angular arm 62, the free end of whichis normally adjacent to the by-pass actuator 63, which is mounted on theinward]y-extending pin (ll of the rod 52, and said arm 62 on thecloser-releasing movement of the stop 54r will be caused to cross theline of movement of said by-pass actuator.

The by-pass actuator on the downstroke of the reciprocatory rod,concurrent with the closure of the valve 45, will abut against the arm(32, which at this time is a resistance member or fixture, so that theby-pass actuator will be rocked about its pivot, thereby permitting therod to freely descend to the end of its downstroke, and during theinterim the by-pass actuator will be forced to its effective position, acounterweight being employed for this purpose.

On the upstroke of the rod 52 to open the valve the bypass actuator 6-3,which is then held against movement, will engage the arm 02 of the stop5%, raising said arm and thereby swinging the stop 54 to the left. Asthe stop 54; is thus swung it will draw the rod 53 and the escapementlever-arm 30 down,thereby disengaging the arm of said lever from theescapeme11twl1eel 37, so that the feed-conveyer F will be released, andthe closer L being shut and latched the said conveyer will be driven bythe force of the material which descends from the feed-hopper ll, suchmaterial being conducted into the empty bucket by said conveyer.

The operation of thehereinbefore-described weighing-machine, briefly, isas follows: Fig. 2 represents the positions occupied by the variousparts at the commencement of operation, the closer L being shut and heldin such position by the latch 15, which is in engagement with the arm 16of the rocker 10, the bucket G, of course, bein empty. The valve a5 isheld in its wide-open position by the stop 47 of the scale-beam B, whichengages the rod a8 of the valve. The feed-conmyer F, which has beenreleased, will be started in motion by the downflowing mass of ma terialwhich emerges from the hopper II and which acts against the plates 21thereof. On the movement of the conveyor it will conduct the materialinto the empty bucket G, sufficient of the mass being delivered theretoto nearly complete the bucket-load, said bucket when the mass has beenreceived thereby descending for a limited distance. As thefeedconveyermoves, the sprocket-chain 28, which travels therewith, willcarry the toe 38 of the actuator 38 into engagement with the upper faceof the lever-arm Sl, thereby forcing said arm downward, so that theteeth 37' of the escapement-wheel 37 may abut against thehook 31- ofsaid lever-arm, to thereby intercept the effective movement of theeonveyer F, the blade a at this time having reached a point adjacent tothe discharge edge of the inclined portion 20 of the feed-hopper, sothat a comparatively small stream may pass between said discharge edgeand the blade at to complete the partial load delivered to the bucket bythe feed-conveyer F. This reduced or drip stream will then flow into thebucket for a comparatively brief space of time, and when it completesthe bucket-load the beam mechanism will pass below the so-calledpoisingline, the bypass stop 47 on the beam 13 thereby releasing the rod4:8 and consequently the Valve 45, so that the latter will shut, and inso doing the rod 52 will be forced downward, with its projection (50thereof, into engage ment with the pin 61 of the latch 15, therebytripping said latch and disengaging it from the rocker 10, which actionreleases the closer L. On the release of the closer the two plates 7 and7 will be forced open by the weight of the contents within the bucket,and when the said contents have been discharged the closer L and otherparts will return to their normal positions. On the succeeding operationof the machine the actuator or dog 39 will engage the lever-arm 33 toforce it into engagement with the escapement-wheel 36, to thereby stopthe feed-conveyer, and 011 the next succeeding operation of the machinethe same action will take place with respect to the actuator or dog &0,the lever-arm 3t, and the escapement-wheel 37".

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination,with ahopper, of a conveyer having a series of blades thereon, one or more ofwhich extend outward beyond the other of the series.

2. The combinatiomwith a hopper, of a conveyer having a series of bladesand mounted to be driven by a supply of material passing through saidhopper, one or more of said blades extending outward beyond the othersof the series.

3. The combination,with weighing mechanism including a load-receiver, ofa hopper havin g an inclined portion; an inclined conveyer disposedbetween the hopper and the load-re ceiver, said eonveyer having a seriesof blades thereon and being driven by a supply of material passingthrough the hopper, certain of said blades being wider than theremainder of the series and being also located at regular intervalsalong the feed-conveyer; and means for intermittingly arresting theaction of said conveyer when the wide blades are opposite the dischargeedge of the inclined portion of the hopper, to thereby permit adiminished stream to pass into the load-receiver.

4. The combination with weighing mechan ism including a bucket, of ahopper; an intermediate feed-conveyer; a brake for said feedconveyer;and means controlled by the feedconveyer, for actuating said brake.

5. The combination with weighing mechanism including a bucket, of ahopper; an intermediate feed-conveyer a brake for said feedconveyer;means carried by the feed conveyer, for actuating said brake; andinstrument-alit-ies operated by the weighing mech anism for releasingsaid feed-conveyer.

6. The combination with a bucket and its supported beam mechanism, of ahopper; a feed-conveyer located between the hopper and the bucket; abrake for said feed-conveyer; means carried by said feed-conveyer, foractuating the brake; and instrumentalities operated by the beammechanism, for releasing said feed-conveyer.

7. The combination with weighing mechanism including a bucket, of ahopper; a feedconveyer intermediate the hopper and the weighingmechanism, said feed-conveyer having a series of blades thereon, one ormore of which extend outward beyond the others of the series.

S. The combination with a hopper, of a cooperative feedconveyer having aseries of blades certain of which are wider than the others, said wideblades being located at intervals and in sets along the feed-com'cyer.

9. The combination,with weighing mechanism including a load-receiver, ofa hopper; a conveyer located below said hopper and having a shaft; anescapement-wheel and chain carried by said shaft; a brake for engagingsaid escapement-wheel; and means carried by said chain, for actuatingsaid brake.

10. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiver,of a hopper; a conveyer located below said hopper and having a shaft; anescapement-wheel and chain carried by said shaft; a brake for engagingsaid escapement-wheel; and a counterweighted dog on said chain, foractuating said brake.

11. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiver,of a hopper; a conveyerlocated below said hopper and having av shaft; aseries of escapement-wheels on said shaft; and means for intermittinglyengaging said wheels, to thereby stop the conveyer.

12. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiver,of a hopper; a conveyer located below said hopper and having a shaft; aseries of escapement-wheels carried by said shaft; a lever having aseries of arms adapted to intermittingly engage said escapement-wheels;and means for actuating said lever.

13. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiver,of a hopper; a conveyer consisting of an endless belt and itssupportingshafts; sprocket wheels carried by said shafts;sprocket-chains connecting said sprocket-wheels; a plurality ofcscapement-wheels carried by one of the shafts; a lever having a seriesof arms located to intermittingly engage the escapement wheels; andpivotally supported connterweighted dogs carried by said chains andadapted to intermittingly engage and operate said leverarms.

14. The combination, with weighing meehanism including a load-dischargemember, of a hopper; a conveyor having a stream-reduc- IIO ing bladeoperable for diminishing the volume of a stream of material issuing fromsaid hopper at a predetermined point; means for stopping the motion ofthe conveyer when the stream is thus diminished; and reciprocatory stopsoperative, respectively, with said conveyer and load-discharge member,one of them being adapted to hold the latter against premature movementduring the load-supply period and the other being adapted to hold theconveyor against motion 011 the discharge of a load.

15. The combination with weighing mechanismv including a load-dischargemember, of a hopper; a feed-conveyor cooperative with said hopper andhaving a stream-reducer; a brake for said feed-eonveyer; andreciprocally-efiective stops, one of which is operative with theload-discharge member and the other of which is directly connected tothe feed-conveyer brake.

16. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a shiftableload-discharge member, of a hopper; a conveyer having a series ofblades, one or more of which extend outward beyond the others of theseries; and a stop member operative with said conveyer and adapted tolimit the movement of said load-discharge member.

17 The combination, with abuckethaving a discharge-outlet; of a closerfor said outlet, consisting of two leaves hinged together at the middleand joined to the bucket at their point of connection, one of saidcloserleaves being counterweighted; a compound toggle, two of themembers of which are connected, respectively, to one of the closerleavesand the counterweight of the other closer-leaf, the third toggle memberbeing mounted upon the bucket; and a detent for engaging saidlast-mentioned toggle member.

18. The combination with weighing mechanism in eluding a bucket, of ahopper; a feedconveyer; a brake for said feed-eonveyer; means foractuating said brake, to throw it into its effective position to stopthe feed-conveyer; a blade operatively connected to said brake; andinstrumentalities operative with the weighing mechanism, for imparting amovement to said blade to return the brake to its ineffective position.

19. The combination with weighing mechanism including a bucket, of ahopper; a feedconveyer; a brake for said feed-conveyer;

means for actuating said brake to throw it into its effective positionto stop the feed-conveyer; a blade operatively connected to said brakeand having an extension; and a reciprocatory rod operative with theweighing mechanism and having a projection adapted to engage saidextension to thereby return the brake to its ineffective position.

20. The combination with weighing mechanism includingabucket, of ahopper; a feedeonveyer; a brake for said feed-conveyor, consisting of alever; means for actuating said brake, to throw it into its ellectiveposition to stop the feed-conveyer; a blade; a rod connected to saidblade and to the brake; a reciprocatory rod having a by-pass actuatorthereon adapted to engage an extension of said blade to thereby returnthe brake to its ineitective position.

91. The combination with weighing mechanismincludinga bucket, of ahopper; a feedconveyer; a brake for said feed-conveyer; a pair of bladesmounted on the bucket, one of which is connected to said brake and hasan extension; a valve connected to the other blade, said bladesconstituting stops; a reeiprocatory rod having a projection adapted toengage said extension on one of the strokes of said rod; and astopconnected to the closer and cooperative with said first-mentioned stop.

22. The combination with weighing mechanism including a bucket having acloser; of means including a latch, for normally holding said closeragainst movement; a hopper; a feed-conveyer having a stream-reducingblade thereon; means for stopping said i'eedconveyor at a predeterminedpoint in its travel; a valve; means forholding said valve in itswide-open position during the movement of the feed-conveyer and forreleasing the same subsequent to the stoppage thereof; and alatch-tripper connected to said valve.

23. The combination \vithabucket having a discharge-outlet; of a closerfor said outlet, eonsisting of two leaves hinged at the middle andjoined to the bucket at their point of connection; a compound toggleoperatively connected to the closer; and a detent for engaging one ofthe toggle members.

FRANCIS ll. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

Fnnn. J. DOLE, HEATH SUTHERLAND.

